The Los Angeles Times (7/2, Miller) reports, "Caught off guard by recent Iraqi military operations, the United States is using spy satellites that ordinarily are trained on adversaries to monitor the movements of the American-backed Iraqi army, current and former U.S. officials say." The Times adds that this "stepped-up surveillance reflects breakdowns in trust and coordination between the two forces. Officials said it was part of an expanded intelligence effort launched after American commanders were surprised by the timing of the Iraqi army's violent push into Basra three months ago." According to "[m]ilitary officials and experts,...the move showed concern by U.S. commanders about whether their Iraqi counterparts would follow U.S. guidance or keep their coalition partners fully informed." However, "the development was also seen as a sign the Iraqi army has reached a level of independence and competence that U.S. military planners had hoped it would achieve." A "former military official" tells the Times, "The bad news is we're spying on Iraqis. ... The good news is that we have to."

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Disclaimer: Vera Pinto Gomes is a space policy analyst currently working at the European Satellite Navigation Programs (Galileo & EGNOS) at the European Commission. She is also a member of the History Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics. Views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author alone. Sharing posts does not mean endorsement
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